Qualitative projects often outlive the software used to create them. A portable archive makes it easier to move between tools, work with collaborators, preserve a study for later audit, or hand material to a new researcher. REFI-QDA Project Exchange provides a shared structure for exchanging qualitative projects in .qdpx form.
What portability can preserve
Depending on the importing and exporting application, a project exchange may preserve source metadata, code systems, coding assignments, and standard memos. This is valuable because analytical work is not only the original files: it also includes the structure and relationships built through coding.
What portability does not promise
No exchange standard can guarantee that every application-specific feature has an exact equivalent elsewhere. Custom visual layouts, specialised dashboards, AI workspace state, or a proprietary reporting tool may not transfer as an editable feature. A good export should make these differences visible in a compatibility report rather than silently dropping information.
Use two kinds of backup
Keep a native project export for complete restoration in the same system, and use a standards-based exchange such as .qdpx when you need cross-application portability. Keep original source files and, where permissions allow, a readable copy of important outputs. Test an import into a separate workspace before relying on it as your only archive.
Before you exchange a project
- Review the codebook and document names for clarity.
- Check whether external files will be available to the recipient.
- Read the compatibility report and decide how to retain non-transferable work.
- Record the software version and export date in the project documentation.
- Protect confidential material before sharing an archive.
Questions researchers often ask
Is a .qdpx file a complete backup?
It is an exchange format, not a promise that every tool-specific feature will be restored everywhere. Keep a native export as well.
Can I share a project with another researcher?
Yes, but first check permissions, confidential material, media availability, and whether the recipient needs an independent coding copy or a shared collaboration workflow.